Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Steven S. Giordano visited Recruit Training Command (RTC) March 14-16, to experience how recruits develop and test their warfighting skills before they reach the Fleet.

MCPON was joined by Fleet Master Chiefs Paul Kingsbury and James Honea to observe the new hands-on learning curriculum at RTC, which focuses basic training on the critical skills and core competencies of firefighting, damage control, seamanship, force protection, and watch standing, to develop tough Sailors who are more qualified for service at sea.

The training was designed by RTC's senior enlisted instructors to provide more realistic training to recruits, and contribute to Fleet readiness and overall Force lethality.

"Much of this refocus has been a direct result of the great work put forth by Rear Adm. Bernacchi and his team," Giordano said. "By thinking differently and being innovative, they truly own the environment and take great pride in developing Sailors."

The visit included walkthroughs of several barracks, called "ships" at RTC, where recruits are constantly drilling to prepare for their evaluations, as well as practicing for life at sea. The ships host applied lab spaces for recruits to gain more hands-on practice time in seamanship, firefighting, damage control, and first aid.

"These applied labs really make a difference in recruit training," Giordano said. "They learn the equipment, practice each evolution repeatedly, and will not only be better prepared for their graded practical events, but also for life in the Fleet."

Recruits conduct further hands-on repetitions and sets at the USS Marlinspike and USS Chief training facilities.

USS Marlinspike is RTC's dedicated practical seamanship trainer, where recruits conduct timed drills in shipboard and pier line handling, sea and anchor detail, and at-sea watch stations.

USS Chief is a controlled training environment, where recruits fight real fires in shipboard compartments. Drilling with various fire suppression agents, lifesaving equipment, and safety gear; teamwork and communications are critical elements recruits must embrace to advance in training.

Recruits also maintain an around-the-clock watch rotation in each ship, practicing various watch stations as they are manned in the Fleet. Stations include roving sentry, sounding and security, quarterdeck watch, as well as bridge watch and navigation lookout during seamanship evolutions. During small arms familiarization training, recruits also have the opportunity to earn their M9 Service Pistol qualification.

In the classroom, applied labs, and practical trainers, recruits conduct more than 30 hours of seamanship training, and more than 40 hours of firefighting and damage control training before reaching their final exam on board USS Trayer, a 210-ft replica of an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile Destroyer.

The final exam at RTC is called "Battle Stations-21" (BST-21), where recruits must apply the critical skills they have acquired over eight weeks of training by performing a series of overnight scenarios on board USS Trayer. Each scenario is designed to test recruits as individuals and as a team.

MCPON joined RTC leadership to formally recognize the Sailors and BST-21 staff, who worked diligently to implement the new BST-21 grading system, where the overall grade is comprised of 75% individual proficiency and 25% team proficiency. Failure in either category, or an overall score below 80%, results in training remediation and impacts recruit graduation dates.

"Stores onload, getting underway, sea and anchor detail, bridge watch standing, missile strikes, fighting fire and flooding, and medical emergencies, all in one night - this is one tough test!" Giordano said. "The instructors at RTC have done an outstanding job to create realistic training for recruits, and implement a graded test that ensures our Navy is developing tough, capable, and ready Sailors."

MCPON completed his visit to Great Lakes by serving as the Reviewing Officer at recruit graduation, where 489 of the Navy's newest Sailors celebrated completion of basic training.

Recruit Training Command is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. Approximately 40,000 recruits graduate annually from RTC and begin their Navy careers.

For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/rtc/.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.